So you continue to say. I will not hold my breath. Hope you are right. Highly doubt it though sadly.

I am not blind to it, I am just playing devils advocate on this thread.

Jon,
Woah,
They were missing Fox, a player released by Leeds. Briscoe a player released by Wigan. Colbon a player pilloried by Wigan fans (we should have kept him)

HKR were outplayed and out coached tonight.

I agree, look at some of the teams above us, Quins, Hudds, KR and Wakefield, we are more than capable of catching these teams, they lack experience near the top of the league and 2 or 3 of them could easily drop off, we see it every season with some teams especially wakefield, even in other sports like football. We could still finish 4th I think, at the start of the season with the lack of Barrett in the side and shortage of punch in the pack, many would have accepted this, I think I would.

Fox is a very good winger in Sl standards, Briscoe is a key player for KR.

As i said though a team over achieving has a bad night a team underachieving has one of the rare odd nights.

In the next few weeks it will return to form. Quins will get drubbed and put in a shocking run, KR will snap out of it and get back on form.

All teams apart from Wigan of late have a bad spell of a few weeks. Sadly Wigan have a good spell of a few weeks a season and it is suddenly deemed acceptable.

The season will only be deemed acceptable if we reach a final IMO.

Personally i think we need to reach at the very least the elimination semi.

The cup is all about the luck of the draw, we could very well get to Wembley off the back of no real quality performances, to win it we would have to perform though granted.

We have to ruffle Leeds or Saints feathers and finish in the top 4 in my opinion for this season to be deemed acceptable.

Depends when that is.


If it is early on then no it's not.


If it is in the playoffs then it is.


As I have said umpteen times, you play the hand you are dealt.

Those are the rules, we have to play to them.

Agreed.
But we've done Saints once and in truth should have beat them at Wigan.

Would you not be happy getting to wembely (win or lose) and finish 8th and get to the elimination semi.

You mean like in the last few seasons?

Yet still you bleat on about Nobby.

Make your mind up!

Once more BK you ignore the body of the thread.

Firstly is acceptable enough to earn a new deal? Not for me.

Have we looked anywhere near worrying Leeds or Saints in the major games in the last few years?

I still cannot beleive we did not win that game. We outplayed them in so many areas, I think it came down to a few decisions.

To beat saints for once was great though.

I think the line between success and failure this season is alot thinner than people think. All the games we have lost this season we have lost by 14 points or less other than Leeds, games against Hudds, Hull, Cas, Wakey, Hull KR were all close games and with a little more composure we could of won those games and been saying we are challenging for the title playing poorly. The line is alot thinner than people think, although granted we have not played well. Our style of rugby at times has been second only to Cas and Saints.

We beat Saints at Murrayfield, and we were close to Leeds in last years semi.

But not when it counts. We consistentlyt fall short on the big occasion, when it comes to the business end of the season BN prides himself on.

Well actually I was doing you a favour by not pointing out the inconsistencies in your post.


However now you mention it.


Which is it to be?

Elmination semi or top 4?

or " ruffling Stains/Leeds feathers?"



Hopeless post as is your wont.

We did beat Saints but can we do it when it counts? Leeds destroyed us in the semi last year, never looked in doubt despite the effort. The way Leeds played the week after showed just how comfortable the semi was for them.

And that is the dilemma.
Me and our mob have deliberated for hours and sunk gallons discussing it. Is it the coach, is it "mental toughness", is it "a leader", is it us and the pressure we put on the "team"

The truth is IMO it's a combination, but I do believe it's a confidence thing, and if we can string a few wins together we are capable of beating any of the teams.

We were in the game though. We will see if we can do it when it counts in the challenge cup final against saints

All of the above.

There is no point getting to the elimination semi and making up the numbers as we have in the past.

There is no point playing poor all year and having a 2/3 game run and claiming the season to be a success. We have to catch up to Leeds or Saints and step up to the mark when it counts. As you continue to whinge about the cap and lowering standards, Wigan have continued to sink and are no closer to the real teams capable of winning the silver come the end of the year.

The Challenge Cup final has already been played, but given the nature of the cup teams like Hudds, Quins and Les Cats can make a final, not often does it go right after that point though sadly.

Only on the scoreboard. Leeds had 2 to 3 gears to shift up had they needed to in my opinion.

It's true, confidence, mementun and experience have a massive impact and I beleive we will have all three come the end of the season. We are the most likely to challenge the top 2 in the play-offs.

Maybe true but we still coult of done it at the end. All ifs and buts though.

But surely confidence is the preference?

Correct so by saying I think we will have all 3 by the end of the season I think we will be on a good enough run to gain some of this confidence you talk about